"I still can't believe you managed to test out of apprenticeship, and straight into residency." Anthony sighed with a mix of awe and disbelief at his best friend. He'd known that Harry had been studying to start his internship for the upcoming year, only to find out on the express back to Hogwarts, that the testing had gone even better than he'd expected and the sixteen-year-old would soon be working on his mastery to become a healer. After over five years of friendship, and Harry still managed to amaze him with every talent and accomplishment he revealed to them.
If he were a lesser man, he might have even been envious of the raw talent and power Harry seemed to exude.
However, Anthony just felt proud.
"Trust me, I can hardly believe it either. Honestly, I think I was just very lucky to have found such a rare ailment in my test patient and was able to show off enough to catch their attention." Harry sighed and leaned his shoulder into Anthony's. "I can't help but feel like they put far too much faith in my capabilities, and that I'm going to go into this residency and make a complete fool of myself! I won't have the time and experience that any of the other residents will have, what if I make a mistake and it costs someone their life, Tony?" Harry exclaimed dramatically, leaning his head on Anthony's shoulder and looping their arms together. Anthony found it adorable how Harry would get when it was just the two of them and he didn't feel shy about acting ridiculous or self-deprecating.
Anthony, for his part, was just thankful that whatever feelings beyond friendship that he had harbored for Harry had calmed considerably since their fourth year and he could offer his friend physical comfort without feeling like his face would catch on fire and his heart would pound out of his chest. He still believed that he and Harry had the kind of bond that came once in a lifetime, and they would remain friends far beyond death's door. But things had gotten a lot less confusing and complicated with time. With each day that passed, Anthony's love transformed into platonic love, and he couldn't help but feel like the bond and emotions that came along with it were far deeper and more permanent than what he'd felt before.
Though, that didn't mean he wasn't still weak for his friend's ethereal beauty and enigmatic charisma. Especially recently as Harry's soft delicate features seemed to sharpen and refine, and he's grown comfortably into his skin, long limbs and pointy elbows filling out gracefully into the lithe frame of a dancer. Harry had expressed earlier on the train ride that he was finally going to pursue Tom with all of his effort, and Anthony couldn't help but both pity and admire the man who would bear the full weight of Harry's advances. It didn't matter that said man was once a Dark Lord and could probably level the Ministry with the snap of his fingers—Harry would eat him alive.
"Don't sell yourself short, Harry. You're wise beyond your years and you're probably the most intelligent person I've ever met. You'll knock all the other residents out of the water. And try to give them a little more credit, this will still be a period of learning and they won't just leave you on your own to treat patients. You'll have professionals there to help you and keep you from making any big mistakes." Anthony reached his other hand across his chest in order to pet the top of Harry's head, soothing him as if he were a child because he knew it would annoy and comfort the other in equal measures. Just as he expected, Harry allowed it for a few moments before batting his hand away while Anthony chuckled.
"You wouldn't have been able to do much during your internship anyways. My dad is in the medical industry as well and even helps run a clinic in London, remember? A lot of interns end up getting sent there since it's less intense than St. Mungo's and most of them end up spending their internship getting coffee for the staff and observing the medi-witches and wizards heal minor bumps and scrapes, and dole out potions. You'd be bored out of your mind before your first shift was even over." He assured as his friend released his arm and straightened up in his seat before the odd position grew too uncomfortable.
"I know, I know. I guess I'm just nervous. I don't like being in the spotlight, but I haven't even started and I'm already the odd one out. I don't even want to think about what will happen when the papers catch word of this. St. Mungo's is going to turn into an absolute zoo!" Harry groaned and he felt bad for his friend. The year to come would probably be his busiest one yet. Juggling classes, residency, studying, prefect duties, and his blossoming relationship with Tom on top of it all? Anthony silently promised that he would do his best to help his friend where he could and make sure the other was getting plenty of sleep and down-time so he didn't totally implode mid-term.
Speaking of. . .
"Aren't you supposed to be patrolling the train with the other prefects?" He asked with the raise of his brow. In fact, Hermione and Draco were out there at the moment doing exactly that. Meanwhile, Ginny and Luna were off in another compartment with some other fifth-year girls they had befriended, leaving it just Anthony and Harry in their own compartment.
"There's eight prefects on this train, along with the Head Boy and Girl, as well as our staff-chaperone and the trolly-witch. There are more than enough people patrolling the train to have someone in almost every train car at once. Now if you'll excuse me, I have very important business to attend to." Harry spouted in his most professional intonation, before promptly swiveling on the cushioned bench, propping his feet up, and laying back with his eyes closed and his head resting on Anthony's thigh. Anthony rolled his eyes and shook his head as his friend settled in for a nap in the warm afternoon light.
Though, he supposed it was better than Harry spending the rest of the train ride fretting over his upcoming residency, when it wouldn't even start for another three days.
All the talk about Harry's residency reminded Anthony of his own plans for the future—mostly his lack thereof. With it being their sixth year, they were meant to start the first steps to pursuing a career, or at the very least have an idea of what they want to do. Previously, Anthony had just thought he'd end up following in his father's footsteps and sell medical supplies and help around the clinic. It was a lucrative business and his father had made it abundantly clear that that's what he wanted for his son as well. However, he just gets a pit in his stomach whenever he imagines himself following that path.
Don't get him wrong, he loves his father and he appreciates all he's done for him and how much he wants to pass his business on to his son, but he'd honestly rather swallow his own wand than succeed his father. The thing is, he knows that if he wants to get his dad off his back about joining his company, he needed to have something else lined up, some other dream to chase. Even if it's not as profitable, he knows his dad will back off if he's passionate enough about it. However, that was another problem in and of itself. He wasn't passionate about anything else!
Sure, he was smart enough to get good grades, but he could hardly focus in any of his classes and nothing ever held his attention for long. He had his innate ability to see and sense magic, which might help him in his future career, but on its own it didn't do much for him. What was the use of knowing what someone's magic tasted like, besides a neat trick to pull out at parties? He couldn't make a career out of that. And nothing else he tried held his interest long enough for him to want to do it for the rest of his life.
He could probably bounce from job to job as his interest changed, but most interesting jobs required training and mastery to make any money, and he knew that he'd be letting his parents down and wasting his 'potential' by sticking to low-waged part-time jobs.
This frustrating tangle of thoughts and dead-ends had been plaguing him all summer. He worried that his time to figure it out would run out and he'd end up just as directionless when he graduated, as he was now. And perhaps that was one thing that he might have envied about Harry, that it had seemed so easy for him to decide on what he wanted to do. He set a goal for himself and not only did he reach it, he exceeded it by a mile.
Anthony turned his attention to the rolling Scottish hills and occasional grazing flock of sheep out of the compartment window. He set aside his worries for now before they could induce a headache. He could only hope that the answer to his problems would present itself at some point, any that by then it won't be too late.
Anthony stepped down from the thestral-drawn carriage, the last one to disembark, and took up the rear of their small group. Draco was immersed in an intense discussion with Harry on who he thought might take up the DADA position this year, as well the long-anticipated announcement of Umbridge's trial date, which had been set for the end of October. Fudge was under intense scrutiny by the whole wizarding community, but had just barely avoided an investigation himself. However, with him still holding onto his position as Minister, he'd been pushing back Umbridge's trial as long as possible in the hopes that the enraged public would eventually lose momentum and interest the longer it was drawn out.
Which was true, to an extent. Public protests had fizzled out in the early summer and the papers had begun to fill their front pages with new stories to engage the public. But with the announcement of the trial, many people's anger had been revived and it was shaping up to be the most anticipated trial since those early Death Eater trials nearly sixteen years ago.
Anthony listened to their conversation as they walked through the main entrance courtyard, content to just observe without needed to participate much. They followed the scattered crowds as students made their way into the grand entrance hall. But the moment they entered he could tell that something had happened. The murmuring grew louder and a few groups slowed or even stopped entirely to gape at something off to their right. Draco and Harry's conversation paused as they too noticed the change and slowed to seem what had grabbed everyone's attention.
As always, there was a small group of staff members in the entrance hall to greet the returning students and make sure things went smoothly. However, this year there was an addition that had most students buzzing with excitement and intrigue. Anthony nearly ran right into Draco's back as their group stopped and tore his eyes away just long enough to prevent a humiliating disaster, before looking back up to see if he'd actually seen who he'd thought he'd seen.
Cedric Diggory was someone he'd never interacted with. During their fourth year, he'd seen the Hufflepuff all-star talking with Harry a few times over the year, as they had both been champions and had developed an amicable acquaintanceship. But that had been during the height of his realization for his feelings for his best friend, and he hadn't really seen anything other than the fellow Ravenclaw. He had vague memories of the boyishly handsome seventh-year that had taken on the title of Hogwarts's champion with a shy smile and subtle but alluring confidence. But other than that, he didn't remember much else of the man.
It had been only a year since he'd graduated, but either Anthony had been more Harry-blind than he'd thought, or a lot had changed for the Hufflepuff. He was dressed in a pair of tailored brown tweed trousers and a matching brown waist coat that brought in the slightly looser white fabric of his shirt, that had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. It was a professional, if a bit relaxed of an ensemble, but somehow the way the trousers fit, the way the waistcoat hugged his torso to reveal the trim planes of his body . . . it somehow looked indecent. Anthony swallowed thickly, and of all the possible things that could drift through his mind at seeing the newest addition to the staff was, oh . . . thighs. . .
And then, because his brain wasn't having enough trouble trudging through the fog of sinfully tight trousers, exposed muscled forearms, and fluffy light brown hair, their group was apparently noticed by said man and with a flash of a radiant straight white smile, Cedric Diggory began making his way across the hall to greet them. Anthony's mind stuttered to a complete halt and he was glad he was at the back of the small group because as the man drew closer, he was consumed by something perhaps even more distracting than his appearance.
His magic. . .
Where Harry's had been the cold bite of frost and dark sweet juice of berries and something heavy and intoxicating, Cedrics wasn't nearly so oppressive, but it captured him within its haze just as wholly. It was the warm, lurid sunlight of a late summer afternoon dripping down the verdant backs of leaves. It was cool melon juices dripping down his chin and the soft kiss of petals under his touch. All at once, it was the refreshing balm of sweet spring water, while also being a hot salacious tongue gliding over his exposed throat and licking up the flames within him. Anthony could practically feel the teeth gliding over his skin as sunlight flushed his body in its light.
Cedric's magic was not as vast and bottomless as Harry's, but it was overwhelming in a way that fogged his brain and had him barely listening as Cedric greeted Harry and happily explained that McGonagall had offered him the position after he'd finished his apprenticeship. He explained that he was in the process of getting his mastery, but he knew more than enough to competently teach the class. As it was, he was already more qualified than most of the Defense professors they'd had so far.
"Ah, I take it these are your friends? I didn't really get the chance to meet any of you while we were in school, but I hope to get to know you all much better from here on out. I'm Cedric Diggory, it's great to meet you." He introduced himself with an easy charisma that would sooth even a first-year Neville into a relaxed state. He held out his hand and Draco was the first to take it, ever the one to solidify potential future connections.
"Draco Malfoy, heir to House Malfoy." He returned with that special dramatic flair that was entirely Draco. Cedric gave his hand a firm pump and friendly smile, uncowed by the teen's slightly outrageous presence.
"I'm Hermione Granger, I'm sure this'll be a wonderful year now that we've got someone more capable teaching." Their handshake was brief and not quite so firm, Cedric's hand looking like it could crush the girl's delicate fingers with a good squeeze. And then the man's warm gaze shifted to him and Anthony felt like he was drowning in simmering golden magic and roguish good looks. Cedric looked so friendly, but there was a mischief in the curl at the corner of his lips and the light dancing in his eyes.
"Anthony Goldstien." He had acted automatically, his hand engulfed in Cedric's own strong, warm hand and his magic rushed up his arm where their hands were joined like an eager puppy, brushing his cheek and encircling his chest. Cedric was a bit taller than him, which was quite impressive considering Anthony was already fairly tall amongst the rest of his year. He had the filled-out frame of someone active, shoulders broad and the tailored clothes doing everything to cut an impressive physique.
"Pleasure to meet you, Anthony." There was that smile again, wide and dazzling, and showing off a dimple in his cheek that was entirely unfair! Anthony swallowed for what felt like the tenth time and when his hand was released, he swore he imagined the brush of fingertips against the thin skin of his wrist, doubling his heartrate.
Distantly, Anthony felt like he was making a fool of himself. He felt like he was being too quiet, too intense, staring too long, but either Cedric didn't notice or he didn't come off as ridiculous as he felt because the man gave him such a warm smile before politely excusing himself so that he could continue to greet students and they could make their way to the Great Hall.
Anthony felt like he was in a daze as they started walking again, even with the man and his magic no longer in view. His friends were excitedly discussing their new discovery and Anthony thought he'd be able to just listen along like he usually did, but it seemed that luck was not on his side that evening.
"So, Anthony, how do you feel about Cedric being our new Defense professor? Hell of a lot better than what we had last year." Draco asked as they entered the Great Hall and the other two glanced at him with a look of curiosity as well. To make matters infinitely worse, his mouth answered completely of its own volition.
"Thighs. . ." The moment the word left his lips in an entranced mumble, he wanted to bite off his own tongue and his cheeks flamed with heat.
"Pardon?" Draco's head whipped around and Harry choked on air.
"Things-Things will be great!" Anthony hurriedly corrected, clearly convincing no one of his slip of tongue. Hermione sighed and rubbed his back consolingly with her hand. Anthony's head drooped in embarrassment and they sat down at the Ravenclaw table while Draco split off to sit with his own house for the feast.
Anthony had been hoping just a few hours earlier that this year would bring him some sort of revelation to shift the direction of his life in some discernable way. But this wasn't what he had in mind. As he stewed in the fluttery feelings both pleasant and mortifying that were swarming in his belly, the doors on the other end of the room opened and the remaining staff arrived to take their seats at the staff table. His eyes automatically found the youngest professor and drank him in.
He didn't know what was going on with him, he didn't know why Cedric or if it would eventually stop the more that he got used to the man. But one thing he did know, was that the crush he'd harbored for his best friend had been a soft, steady tug at his stomach that slowly got stronger, and just as slowly got weaker. Whatever was happening now, it was like taking the Hogwarts Express right to the chest. It hit him hard, fast, and was taking him along for the ride whether he wanted it to or not. He hoped it was just a temporary thing that would die out within the first week of class, because honestly, he had no idea how he was going to manage if he felt like he was free falling every time the man flashed that damn smile.
His teeth sank into the pillowy tissue of his bottom lip and he glowered something fierce at the unsuspecting man. The more his insides seemed to melt, the harder, narrower, and more razing his glare became. His hands curled into fists as the professor ran an absent hand through his hair and wet his lips with his pink tongue as refreshments appeared on the staff table. This was not the passion he'd been seeking, the motivation to do something other than let life pass him by. Cedric had somehow elicited an energy in him within moments of meeting him that no other subject or pursuit had before. The man had stolen his full attention and it burned hot and voracious under his skin. Mark my words, Cedric Diggory, I fear no man and I will not be made a fool. I swear on my name, you will rue the day you became my first nemesis. . .